


BFFs

by SimmeringSun



Series: The Lost Boys [4]
Category: Rockman | Mega Man - All Media Types, Rockman | Mega Man Classic
Genre: Arguing, BFFs, Child Neglect, Crying, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Identity Reveal, Misunderstandings, Self-Hatred, Swearing, Which is basically blues' tag, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-28 22:28:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16251068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SimmeringSun/pseuds/SimmeringSun
Summary: Proto makes Bass a friendship bracelet, and Bass must face the thing he fears the most: friendship.(Or the one where Bass says hurtful things to Blues and misses him when he's gone.)





	BFFs

**Author's Note:**

> Rated T for Bass' swearing.
> 
> Basically all of the stories in this series are connected but can be read as stand-alones unless stated otherwise
> 
> Also, special shout out to wormmwood on insta/Tumblr. They make such good art and we generate so many cool head canons about the robo kids!

“What the fuck?”, Bass exclaimed as he examined the string of beads in his hands. The beads were mostly orange and yellow besides three black beads in the middle. The black beads were square and had white lettering on top. Bass frowned at the letters.

“You don't like it?”, The other asks. The side of his mouth is turned in a smug smile. Bass wants to punch it off so bad. “I spent a long time making it y'know.”

“It's hideous.”, Bass says. In actuality, he didn't really mind the look of it. It was just the meaning of those damn letters that riled him up. “You do know what BFF means right? I know you're illiterate, so I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't.”

“No, I know what it means.”, Proto says as he swings his legs idly. He was sitting on Bass’ bed, his hands playing with his scarf.

“Then why did you put it? It's not really a funny joke.”

“Well I thought it was funny.”, Proto says simply as he shrugs. "I thought you'd like it. It's ironic humor y'know?”

“I don't get it. There's nothing funny about it. We're not even friends.”, Bass says as he resists the urge to curl his hands around the beads and smash them.

“Oh come on. You still don't think we're friends?”, Proto asks. He has a straight face on, but his voice has an edge of annoyance. “Even I can't deny we're friends.”

“Well, we're not.”, Bass barks.

“Why are you so mad? We literally have spent so much time together for the last three months.”

“Well I never asked you to follow me around!”, Bass blurts out. He doesn't even know what he's saying anymore. All he knows is that he can't have a friend. Friends were not something Bass was capable of having.

“Asked? You literally started this friendship by inviting me to your place.”, Proto says. He has his arms crossed. His mouth is pulled into a straight thin line. Bass hated this guy. He always had that stupid poker face on. 

“Well what the fuck was I supposed to do? You were crying and pouring your guts out to me! The only reason I invited you was because I felt bad for you!”, Bass yells. He could see Proto tense up and he knew he fucked up, but he was deep in now. “It's the only reason I continue to let you hang around me!”

There's a silence that fills the air. Bass registers the words he just spouted out, and his mind races for a way to take it back. Fuck, he didn't want Proto to be his friend, but the words he said weren't even true. 

“Oh.”, Proto croaks out. His voice sounds congested, like he's trying to keep from crying. He just looks down at his red boots, avoiding Bass’ eyes.

“Hey”, Bass forces out. He had to think of something to say quick. “You know I didn't mean it like that. You're just too sensitive.”

“Yeah. No, I get it man.”, Proto says. His voice still sounds congested, but maybe it was all in Bass’ mind. He said he got it, right? Bass resists the urge to sigh in relief. 

“Alright. Let's play some games then. I haven't beat your ass in Mario Kart in a while.”, Bass says. He still feels tension, and he really wants it to be gone.

“No...I should probably get going.”, Proto says as he gets up. He's still not looking at Bass.

“Oh. Ok.”, Bass says lamely. He fights down the disappointment that the other has to go. He watches the other robot climb out the window without turning back. 

That was the last of Proto Man that Bass had seen in three weeks.

Bass tried looking for him; he really did. The next day after the incident Bass had searched for the other robot. He checked the arcade, the bridge the red robot usually stayed under, and the local McDonalds; but Bass couldn't find the other robot anywhere. He thought maybe the other just needed time to cool off.

But Proto wasn't around the next day or the day after that. Bass feels like he's going crazy after a week passes. He swears he sees glimpses of red and yellow in the corners of his vision, but when he turns there's nothing there.

“Fuck it.”, Bass mumbles to himself. He was doing great before the other came along. He starts up a game of Mario Kart, but feels bored after five minutes.

He goes to the arcade by himself the next day. If Proto wanted to hang out then he'd be here Bass considers. But Proto would love this stash of quarters Bass had. He'd play his stupid games that Bass hated, and he'd smile while doing it. Bass grumbles and decides he suddenly doesn't want to spend all of his quarters anymore.

After two weeks, Bass starts writing notes. He writes letters to the red robot, and he'd stick them everywhere he usually went. He stuck one under the bridge, by the park bench the two would sit on, and he even instructed the man who ran the arcade to give the red robot one if he walked in. But the robot still wasn't anywhere to be seen.

On the third week, Bass decided to give up. He really was an idiot. He pushed the other away and expected everything to still go the way things were. He was just scared, no, TERRIFIED, of having a friend.

“I'm not scared.”, Bass mumbles harshly to himself as he kicks a rock. He thinks about going to smash bottles. It was an activity that Proto usually never approved of. He would always sit back with a frown on his face as Bass threw glass bottles against a brick wall.

“Humans get hurt by glass y'know.”, He would huff as he crossed his arms. The robot would even sweep up the glass with his hands afterwards! He was fucking insane. He was insane, and Bass needed to see him.

Was he ok? What if he was really hurt, and Bass had given up on him? Proto was always scared of Dr. Light. He'd say weird things like how the doctor would probably put him in the robot museum. Bass wonders darkly if Mega Man knows where the robot is. 

So Bass decided. Bass decided he was going to challenge Mega Man for a fight.

“Mega Man! Come fight me!”, Bass yelled at the top of his lungs. He stood atop the tallest place on the rusting playground. He screamed again and again. Surely the robot would eventually hear him.

The passerbys and few children at the park cringed at the screaming robot. They covered their ears, but Bass was determined to keep yelling until the blue robot came.

After what felt like an hour, the blue robot did show up. He looked out of breath, like had got there in a hurry.

“Bass!”, The other said in what seemed like realization. His eyes widened, and then narrowed.

“What have you done to Proto Man!”, The two yell at each other at the same time. The two blink once they realize they said the same thing.

“What the fuck? Why would I do anything to him?”, Bass asks. He feels like throwing something at the blue robot. 

“I don't know!”, Mega says. He looks frustrated. “He's been missing for three weeks! I can't find him anywhere. I thought maybe you had something to do with it. I haven't seen you in ages.”

“Well, no! I haven't seen him either.”, Bass says. 

“Why are you concerned about where he is? I didn't even know that you two know each other.”, Mega says in thought. His features relax into a sad expression.

“Well we do know each other!”, Bass yells. He holds his wrist up and the bracelet's beads glisten in the sun. 

“He was making that for you?”, Mega says with his eyes wide. “He spent a lot of time making that with me and our sister. He wouldn't tell us who it was for!”

“So I was the last one who saw him?”, Bass asks mostly to himself.

“Yeah I guess so. Did he say he was going anywhere? What do you two even do?”, Mega asks.

“He just said he had to go..”, Bass says.

“Did he seem upset?”, Mega asks. The worry is practically dripping off of him. “Did he say he didn't feel good or anything?”

“He seemed upset, but I thought we cleared it up. Fuck!”, Bass cursed. He felt bad and he wasn't sure why. He hated feeling this way.

“We need to find him.”, Mega says. He's got a serious look on his face. If Proto's own brother didn't know where he was then there really was no hope in finding him. Bass was at a loss.

“I..I need to go!”, Bass declares as he jumps off the playground. Rock calls out for the running robot, but Bass is long gone. He runs until he's home in his room, and for the first time in years, Bass cries.

“Fuck him!”, Bass says as he furiously wipes at his tears. “Fuck him! I hate him!”

But he didn't really hate him, and that just made Bass want to hate him more. He was scared the other would leave. That he would one day disappear, and Bass would be attatched to someone who was gone. Now his fear became reality, and it made him feel awful.

He couldn't just give up though. He'd find the idiot robot if it was the last thing he did.

So in the stark of night, Bass crept out and made it to the park. He sat atop the slide that sat in the middle of the play area. He looked through a pair of binoculars in his hands and waited.

He didn't see anything for the first few hours, just the confused stares of the remaining pedestrians outside. Bass was about to give up and go back home before he saw a familiar red in the far edge of his vision.

Bass quickly ducked down. His eyes widened when he saw the missing robot.

He moved like a dead man, each step slow and lumbering. He held his head down, his yellow scarf covering his mouth. He had the cover that Bass had given him three months ago around his shoulders. The fluttering white fabric made the robot look like a ghost.

Bass waited. He held his breath and didn't dare to move as the red robot came closer and closer into view. He was heading toward the park. He stood in front of the slide, and climbed underneath it.

Bass was about to say something. He was about to yell at the robot and demand explanations, but before he could even form the words, he heard a small whimpering noise.

Bass felt something inside of him break. He remembered the rainy night under the bridge when he first found the robot crying.

“You stopped me from doing something I might regret.”, The robot had said through tears. He accepted Bass’ off brand Doritos, and the two hung out with each other ever since.

Bass hears the whimpering and muffled crying below, and he feels like crying himself. Would Proto do that thing he said? The thing he said he might regret? Bass wasn't sure what it even was, but he could sense it was bad. There was no way in hell that Bass would ever let the other robot do something so stupid; at least not without him.

“Hey.”, Bass says aloud. The crying down below dies down. Bass slides down the slide, and peers underneath. He sees the red robot with his hands clamped over his mouth. His shoulders are shaking.

“Hey.”, The other robot says shakily with a shrug. He's still trembling, and Bass can see the tearlines glisten on his cheeks.

“Where the fuck have you been?”, Bass asks through gritted teeth. He feels tears prick at his eyes and he clenches his fists. “I've looked everywhere for you. I even had to resort to asking your stupid brother for help.”

“I've…”, Proto says. He looks up at Bass. His bottom lip quivers and a sob breaks out of the robot. Bass is at a loss of what to do. 

“I j-just hold people back.”, Proto says. “I just don't want to be a burden to anyone anymore.”

“What the fuck.”, Bass says as he processes the words. This robot was an idiot. A grade-A idiot. “Are you serious?”

“Who the hell has saved Mega Man's and Dr. Light's asses countless times? Who was the one who helped me against King with his ridiculous shield? Who's the one who plays Mario Kart and eats junk food with me?”, Bass says. Proto's crying has died down to soft hiccupingas Bass' words wash over him. Bass points his finger at the other. “You! It's you, you idiot! You're not a burden. And you're not my friend…”

Bass holds up his brcaelet and Proto's mouth widens into an 'O’ shape. 

“because you're my best friend! My bff or whatever the hell you want to call it! Just never fucking run away or think you're a burden again, got it?”

Bass watches as Proto forms a small smile. The smaller robot lets out a choked laugh.

“Dude, you're so weird.”, Proto bubbles out. He wipes away at his tears. “But yeah, you're my BFF.”

“Damn right.”, Bass says as he flops down next to his friend.

“Bass?”

“Yeah?”, Bass says as he turns his head.

“We're BFFs, but I've never even seen you with your helmet off.”, Proto says.

“Well, I've never seen you with your dumb shades off.”, Bass shoots back.

“Yeah.”, Proto says thoughtfully with a smile. His hiccups die down. The two sit in a moment of silence.

“Come on, that's it?”, Bass asks as he rolls his eyes.

“What are talking about?”, Proto asks innocently.

“You can't just ask that and not expect me to know what you're really asking.”, Bass says. “I'm not stupid.”

“That's arguable.”, Proto says and Bass punches him lightly on the shoulder.

“If I take off my helmet, then you show me your eyes.”, Bass says. He doesn't know why he's suddenly interested in the other's eyes, or why he's willing to take his helmet off in front of the other. He hardly took it off, even in his own room.

“Ok.”, Proto says after a long moment. He looks more serious than usual. “But, you have to promise you won't make fun of me.”

“I have plenty to make fun of already. I wouldn't make fun of your eyes shit-tard.”, Bass says. He's almost insulted the other thinks he would do that.

“Ok.”, Proto says. “Then let me introduce myself.”

Before Bass can ask just what the other meant by that, Proto takes his helmet off. It's something that Bass has seen before; the unruly brown hair, the light scars, and the shades. Bass waits patiently as Proto slowly takes his signature sunglasses off.

“My name is Blues.”, He says, and Bass registers what the other had meant before. He looks into deep green eyes. They have no whites or irises. One of them is lit lightly, and the other looks dead and dark. Proto's civillian name plays on a loop in Bass' head. 

Bass wants to ask questions, but he swallows. He still owed the other something.

“Hey Blues-snooze.”, Bass says. It's not his best one, but he barely learned the guy’s name. He sighs as he takes off his helmet. Curly white locks shine lightly in the dim moonlight. “My name is Forte.”

“Huh. We both have musical names.”, Blues says with a snort. He looks at Forte’s hair. Forte is amazed that he can actually tell where the other is looking.

“Yeah.”, Forte says lamely. He can't believe what comes out of his mouth next. “Your eyes are nice.”

“Your hair is nice.”, Blues says back. 

“Is..is that eye broken?”, Forte asks as he points to the other's dark eye. Blues nods sadly.

“Yeah. It's been broken for a long time.”

“And yet you wear two layers of shades. How do you even see?”, Forte says with a huff.

“Hey, I get by.”, Blues says with a smug smile.

The two spend a couple minutes sitting next to each other. Forte notices how the other can't really maintain eye contact with him for that long. 

“Hey Blues?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we go to the arcade tomorrow? I've been saving a shitload of quarters.”

“Yeah. I have to go visit my siblings first. After that, I guess I can beat your butt in a couple of games, Forte.”

**Author's Note:**

> The stories after this one in the series will refer to the kids by their civilian names, Forte and Blues :)


End file.
